Kurt Thomas Available

[edgar]

For little more than a 2nd rounder..would you want him back?

[PURO SAN ANTO 210!]

No

[Mr Bones]

Only if the deal included young guys like Mbah a Moute and Illyasova too.

[duncan228]

Kurt Thomas: The fallback trade option (http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/12915/kurt-thomas-the-fallback-trade-option)
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN

In college at TCU, Kurt Thomas once led the nation in scoring and rebounding, making him one of only three players in NCAA history to do so. Two-and-a-half years ago, his expiring $8 million contract was deemed so unappealing by Suns owner Bob Sarver that Phoenix agreed to surrender two unprotected 1st-round draft picks to Seattle, getting back only a 2nd-rounder in return (the second of those unprotected 1st-round picks goes to the Thunder this June, which is why Phoenix is currently looking for at least one 1st-round pick in any Amare Stoudemire trade).

Thomas is currently playing for his seventh NBA team as he works his way through his 15th NBA season, and he soon could end up with his eighth.

ESPN.com has learned that Thomas, the 37-year old backup center/forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, has emerged as a fallback trade option for the few playoff-bound teams (including Portland, Dallas and Cleveland) open to the idea of taking on additional salary.

"I have heard Portland," Thomas acknowledged in the visiting locker room after the Milwakee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 114-107 Friday night at Madison Square Garden. "It's always a good feeling when you're hearing teams are interested in you."

Milwaukee is believed to be seeking little more than a second-round pick for Thomas and/or Francisco Elson, two of the three expendable big men clogging the end of their bench (the third, Dan Gadzuric, is virtually untradeable with his $6.8 million contract for this season, plus an additional year at $7.4 million).

Thomas has an expiring $3.6 million contract, and Elson has an expiring $1.7 million deal.

That's a $1.9 million difference, but Thomas is both better and more experienced than Elson, having logged 82 playoff games with Miami, New York, Phoenix and San Antonio. And when it comes to slowing down opposing big men, Thomas knows the tricks of his trade -- and doesn't disclose his secrets.

"Whatever tricks I do know, I try to keep to myself. They [rookies and young teammates] have to learn them on their own," Thomas said. "I'm someone who really understands where to be at, spacing, defense and rebounding."

The problem for the three teams listed above is a dearth of expendable 2nd-round picks.

Portland has two 2010 2nd-round picks, but must convey the least favorable of its own or Chicago's 2nd-rounder to Oklahoma City (via Minnesota). But the Blazers would also have to match salaries, and it's questionable -- despite their dire need for a big body due to season-ending injuries to Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla -- whether they'd sacrifice Travis Outlaw's expiring $3.6 million deal to make the salary cap math work in a deal for Thomas (although they were willing to surrender Outlaw to the Bucks a year ago when the teams were discussing a Richard Jefferson trade, but the Blazers wanted Ramon Sessions to be part of that deal, too).

Dallas owes a 2nd rounder to Indiana and has the option of sending its 2010 or 2011 pick to the Pacers, and the Mavericks are also owed a 2010 second-rounder by Oklahoma City -- although the Thunder keep it if it falls between Nos. 31 and 45. Dallas also does not have a one-for-one salary match for Thomas other than Drew Gooden, who is a better player than Thomas. (The Mavs do have a $2.9 million trade exception from the Kris Humphries trade to New Jersey, but that exception is not large enough to absorb Thomas' deal.)

Cleveland owes its 2nd-round pick to Phoenix, and the Suns will have to send it to Minnesota if they finish with one of the league's top 10 records (otherwise the Suns will send their own 2nd-rounder to the Wolves). Also, Cleveland does not have a disposable player whose salary falls within 125 percent of Thomas' (that's part of the trade rules), although the Cavs could get around that problem by pulling a Keith Van Horn trick and doing a sign-and-trade involving the currently idle Wally Szczerbiak or Lorenzen Wright.

Given Cleveland's sign-and-trade options, they would seem to be the most likely of those three teams (unless there is a three- or four-team trade option) to obtain Thomas if their well-chronicled effort to acquire Antawn Jamison from Washington does not come to fruition.

Just a little something to keep an eye on if things are a little too quiet, and the Jamison trade is dead, at 2:30 p.m. ET on the afternoon of Feb. 18, the NBA trading deadline.

[MaNu4Tres]

Trade thread....

[Fpoonsie]

Pass.

It's like admitting to your ex that you made a mistake (after realizing you couldn't do any better) and humbly crawling back into bed w/ her.

[portnoy1]

Dont want him back and never really wanted him in the first place. If we get thomas back then how bout we trade for Oberto and ask bruce to come back and simultaneously bench Dick Jefferson? Better yet, If bruce can only play a good 15 minutes a game, maybe we Start RJ and then have bruce in for the whole 4th quarter. Besides, RJ is never really in during winning time. Just look at the Portland game - TP/Hill/Manu/TD/Dice and $14million dollar RJ is sitting on the bench having a smoke getting paid.

[HarlemHeat37]

I would like to see him get a chance to win a ring going to a team that needs him..Denver needs big man depth, so I wouldn't mind seeing him there..if Orlando trades Bass to free up cap space, I'd like to see Kurt go there too..

[xtremesteven33]

Kurt Thomas > Richard Jefferson

[exstatic]

Only if the deal included young guys like Mbah a Moute and Illyasova too.

You need to put down the crack pipe. They failed to pick up the option on former #8 overall pick (2008) Joe Alexander because Mbah a Moute beat him out for the rotation spot.

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Denver please :smokin

[Flux451]

Denver please :smokin

nice sig

[SenorSpur]

Pass.

It's like admitting to your ex that you made a mistake (after realizing you couldn't do any better) and humbly crawling back into bed w/ her.

...and on top of that, you found that she's gained about 30 lbs. Already you know it's a bad idea, yet, you're trying to convince yourself, "it could still work."

By now, I would hope the Spurs would've learned their lesson on acquiring veteran players, who are simply to far into their career to make a difference, in their very complex offensive and defensive system. Somehow I doubt it, though.

Go young, my brother. Go young.

[ElNono]

Another old guy that can't jump? Pass...

[Mr Bones]

You need to put down the crack pipe. They failed to pick up the option on former #8 overall pick (2008) Joe Alexander because Mbah a Moute beat him out for the rotation spot.

:lol Crack pipe? Wow, over-react much?

I'm sure you would have said the same about the Pau to L.A. trade before it happened too. Many strange things happen in the salary cap/luxury tax era. For example, if a team was willing to take Kurt Thomas and Gadzuric's contract, the Bucks might include one of the young guys I mentioned for cap flexibility and some young talent in return. It's not an impossible scenario.

[exstatic]

:lol Crack pipe? Wow, over-react much?

I'm sure you would have said the same about the Pau to L.A. trade before it happened too. Many strange things happen in the salary cap/luxury tax era. For example, if a team was willing to take Kurt Thomas and Gadzuric's contract, the Bucks might include one of the young guys I mentioned for cap flexibility and some young talent in return. It's not an impossible scenario.

Thomas's (expiring) contract is a commodity itself. They're making him available, not trying to salary dump him. Big difference. You're never going to get Luc as a throw in for an ending contract.

Gadzuric is a different story, but that would be a different thread.

[Bender]

Pass.

It's like admitting to your ex that you made a mistake (after realizing you couldn't do any better) and humbly crawling back into bed w/ her.
lol, that's a better analogy than all those relationship analogies that the Slam author used in that recent Spurs article.

[SpurNation]

Thomas is done. He already proved to not work out here before...what would make one think that would be any different?

I'd rather have Bonner than Thomas.

[Fpoonsie]

lol, that's a better analogy than all those relationship analogies that the Slam author used in that recent Spurs article.

:lol

I actually just read that and, admittedly, I'm a little embarrassed for using the same analogy. My GOD, the writer drug that one out.

[slick'81]

jesus no

[spurspokesman]

Another old guy that can't jump? Pass...

U know things are crappy when u entertain the thought of aquiring your castoffs hoping they will do wonders for you. Bruce is the lone exception because even et this advanced stage he's leaps and bounds above any perimeter defender we have. Bruce is missed and its showing.

[spurspokesman]

Another old guy that can't jump? Pass...

U know things are crappy when u entertain the thought of aquiring your castoffs hoping they will do wonders for you. Bruce is the lone exception because even et this advanced stage he's leaps and bounds above any perimeter defender we have. Bruce is missed and its showing. Big up to bruce and everything he brung. My favorite spur outside d rob and tim.

[timtonymanu]

i'd rather KT go to a team that clearly will go far in the playoffs which is Cavs or Nuggets.

But i wouldnt want him back here. we need youth, not age.

[ohmwrecker]

Anybody know what Kevin Willis is up to?

[dbestpro]

if it kept Pop from going small I would welcome Thomas with open arms.